1939-40 Ford
The Ford blocks got the bigger mains just like the Mercury, but continued with the smaller 2.000 inch rod bearings. As mentioned in the previous Mercury section the Ford motors also got a longer crankshaft. All blocks still have four freeze plugs in the oil pan rails. Ford blocks continued with upside down keystone center water holes in the decks. These blocks can be bored 1/8 over to 239 cubic inch size so a 3.1875 bore should not be used to determine block identity.
Features of the 1939-40 Ford
- 24 studs retaining the cylinder heads
- Water pumps in the block
- The water drains are angled
- Passes the pencil test
- Core plugs in the oil pan rails
- Crankcase ventilation
- Insert main bearings 2.499” diameter retained by studs
- Upside down keystone center water hole in the deck
- Upside down keystone water hole in the lower center of the deck
The deck and front of the block on the 221 cubic inch Ford motor is almost identical to the Mercury motor, with the exception of center water outlet. The water holes in the deck and other similarities can be seen the following picture.
This is as good a time as any to bring up a cautionary message. Be careful, or simply don’t, hang a flathead Ford V8 with a cast on bell housing from a common engine stand. The bell housing area isn’t designed for the load. Some people do that with no problem, some stick a board under the nose of the crank, and a few break their engines. Dad was given this 1940 Ford motor because it was broken during assembly after all the machine work had been done.
edit: Kube reminded me that starting in 1940, and I think continuing through 1942, Ford would allow a person or agency that met specific qualifications to order a Ford equipped with the larger Mercury engine. The details of this are included in the very good 1940 Ford Book published by the Early Ford V8 Club, available here:
click here for the 1940 Ford Book.
The Early Ford V8 Club has books for other years as well, with lots of good information, even if some of them don't go into quite as much detail as either the 40 Book or the 32 Book (also linked in the 32 engine post). Check out the available books by clicking these links:
page 1 of book listings and
page 2 of book listings.